An exhibition featuring the work of eight Asian-American artists of the Hudson Valley will be featured at Beacon’s Howland Cultural Center during the month of May to celebrate national Asian-American History Month.

The exhibit opens Friday with a reception from 7-9 p.m. to meet the artists. The show runs through May 31.

All of the artists have a rich, cultural background associated with the country of their birth: Ichikawa grew up in a small city in Japan known for its silk industry. His family operated a wedding kimono-making business. The traditional designs and rich colors of the textiles impacted his early life. After studying in Tokyo for two years, Ichikawa came to New York to study, graduated from Pratt Institute in 1984 and decided to pursue his painting career in the United States. He came to Beacon in search of better studio space, loved living close to the river and mountains, and his abstract works have become noticeably influenced by nature. His works have been shown in Japan and throughout the United States.

Yoon is a Korean-born artist who earned a bachelor’s of fine arts from Hongik University in Korea and a master’s of fine arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan in 2009. An interdisciplinary artist, Yoon synthesizes hair sculpture, video, photography and performance to create an immersive, spiritual experience in her work.

Huong-Matheis’ Chinese heritage is often the subject of her award-winning paintings and photography. She was selected in 2014 as the outstanding artist in Dutchess County and awarded the County Executive’s Award by Arts Mid-Hudson.

In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian-American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants, May 7, 1843, and the contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad, completed May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a month-long celebration.

If you go

What: Asian-American Artists of the Hudson Valley exhibit to mark national Asian-American History Month

When: 7-9 p.m., May 8, opening reception; exhibit runs through May 31; regular gallery hours are 1-5 p.m., Thursday-Sunday, with an exception on May 17 when the Howland Chamber Music Circle presents the Trio Valtorna in concert; the art gallery will be closed to the general viewing public